


Pick a Fight (To Feel Good About Yourself)

by NoxumBoots



Category: Fable 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Bar Room Brawl, Could be Hammer/Sparrow if you squint, Garth taught Sparrow telepathy, If you're reading this you're beautiful and valid no takebacks, One Shot, Self Confidence, Self-Esteem Issues, Sparrow is STILL Closeted, Trans Male Character, Trans!Sparrow, implied/referenced dysphoria, talking about emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 08:35:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19128412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoxumBoots/pseuds/NoxumBoots
Summary: Sparrow and Hammer have a nice, totally not angry discussion about a couple of drunk idiots and self-esteem.





	Pick a Fight (To Feel Good About Yourself)

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this on a whim, because this idea won't leave me alone and Hammer and Sparrow need more friendship. Self-esteem is important, folks, and so are you. Love yourself and heck the people who don't. Starting bar fights, however, is not recommended.
> 
> Garth taught Sparrow telepathy, in case anyone is wondering how the two are talking.

“You’re a dumbass.”

_ Yep. _

“No, I knew you were an idiot before, but after that stunt? I have absolutely no respect for you.”

Sparrow laughed, wincing a bit as he jostled his ribs.  _ Aw, come on? This is the thanks I get for defending you? _

“I didn’t NEED defending,” she muttered. She was trying to clean blood off his face while he was squirming around, trying to telepathically make conversation and annoy her while she was helping him. “Just because you had a few ales doesn’t mean you can just up and punch anyone ya want.”

_ I thought you wanted to be able to bash people’s faces in? _ He replied coolly.

“I used to before I realized that wasn’t the solution to everything.”

_ Ah, so wise. _

“Would you stop moving?” She grabbed him by the shoulder and made him sit still. The two heroes were currently in the upstairs of the Cow and Corset, sitting on the bed while Hammer fussed over Sparrow. There was a soft clamor of patrons downstairs, but most had gone home because of the late hour. Also probably because of the fight that Sparrow had started. 

_ Seriously? Cow? That was the best insult they could come up with for you? _

“Yep. They were reeeeeal smart.” She dunked a cloth in a bowl of cold water they had, then put it on Sparrow’s eye. “Hold this there.”

He hummed, doing so.  _ You were just gonna take it then? _

“What?”

_ The insult. _

“It was barely an insult at all.” She checked over his wrist, prodding at it. “Does this hurt?”

_ No. _

“This?”

_ N- ow, yes. _

“Okay, not sprained. I think.” Nevertheless, she wrapped it tightly to keep him from moving it.

_ Now, back to the former topic: Cow is most definitely an insult. And despite their little to no intelligence, they were insulting you. Loudly. And what else was I supposed to do? _

“Ignore them and keep drinking?”

Sparrow scoffed.  _ Be serious. _

“I  _ am _ being serious, alright?” She tied off the bandages a little harder than might’ve been necessary. “They were just running their mouths off for entertainment or somethin’. Trust me, it’s better to just ignore them and not start anything.

Water dripped down his cheek from the wet cloth.  _ I’m being serious right back. Ya gotta put those people in their place. _

“Sounds violent.”

_ Not really. _

“You’re bleeding from  _ everywhere.” _

_ This is a bad example. _

The two sat silently for a few minutes more. Hammer eventually finished fussing over Sparrow and put some of the items away, checking on his eye. She made a neutral sound. Sparrow was a Hero, and even if he’d gotten a bit banged up, the other two guys had hobbled out of the bar in even worse shape. He’d nearly killed them. 

_ Do people do that a lot? _

She looked at him. “Do what?”

_ Insult you.  _

Shrug. “Eh.”

_ They shouldn’t. You’re pretty. _

“Um, thanks?” She replied, turning a bit red and confused.

_ Like, you’re beautiful. They’re tasteless bastards and you shouldn’t just- _

“Okay, that’s it. Sparrow, what the hell?” Hammer sat down on the bed next to Sparrow and looked pointedly at him. “You don’t just punch people for no reason-”

_ There was a reason. _

“ _ Even _ if they’re being annoying. You were tripped by some guy one time and I heard  _ you _ apologize to  _ him _ !” She rolled her eyes, then tried to look as serious as she felt. “Where’s this coming from?”

He scrunched his face up at her, and she added,  _ “The truth, _ kindly.”

Sparrow was quiet again. Well, mentally quiet. After a moment or two, he sighed.  _ I… They had no good reason to insult you. I guess I’m just a bit tippy about that. _

“Not having good reason? That’s silly.”

_ No, insulting your- your body, specifically. They were being jerks and I overreacted.  _ Pause.  _ Sorry. _

“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to those two poor blokes that you traumatized.”

_ No. _

She frowned at his cold response. “Bloody… Didn’t know you cared  _ that _ much about me.”

_ Well, I do, so get used to it.  _ He snipped, then winced, rubbing at his chest.

“Did you bust a rib?”

_ Hm? What? Mm-mm. _

“...you’re sure.”

_ I’d know if I’d broken a rib, Hammer. _

She chuckled, still sounding a bit suspicious. There was awkward silence for a bit more. “...Forgive me for asking, but.”

_ What? Spit it. _

“Why do  _ you _ care so much if  _ I _ get insulted?”

_ Didn’t I just answer that? _

“Yes, but- No. No, I don’t think you did. You…” She poked him. “Sound like there’s more to this. You’re all defensive.”

The Hero frowned, turning pink and fuming slightly.  _ Am not. _

“Yes, you are. You get all angry when you’re hiding things.”

_ This is personal business, Hammer. _

“And why is that?”

He almost responded, then clenched his jaw.   _. . . _

“Sparrow~.”

_. . . _

“Sparrow.”

_ My masculinity is fragile, _ he whined.

Hammer started at him. Then, she burst into laughter. “What?!  _ That’s _ the answer?!”

His face was flaming red.  _ Shut up. _

“No no no, I’m sorry I just-” she snorted and gestured at him. “That was the last bloody thing I expected!”’

The nomad was nearly pouting, not happy that Hammer was making fun of his response.  _ You asked for the truuuuth... _

“Yeah and I’m glad, but you’re- you look great! You’re as manly as they get around here!” 

She didn’t mention his inability to grow a beard or his ponytail, because he looked just so happy. _ Really? _

“Yeah!” She punched his arm. “Come on, don’t look so dopey. You’ve been all over  _ my _ image, Mr. I-Care-About-Others’-Opinions, so might as well be all over yours.”

_ Awwwwww, you care about meeeeee! _

“Stop teasing. Honestly, you should be the last person around here to be self-conscious about themselves.”

_ Well, my self-image is fragile, so it’s up to  _ me _ to be an angry raccoon to those who don’t defend themselves.  _ He pulled the cloth away from his eye for a minute, then put it back on, scowling.  _ Just makes me upset to see other people teased, especially those who don’t deserve it. _

“So, you were sympathetic for me, and you...punched their faces in.” He nodded, and she sighed. “Sparrow, I don’t need you jumping on anyone who bad talks me. I’m… I’ve grown used to comments like those, yeah? I get the urge to fight back against them. But hurting them doesn’t do much good.”

_ Mm. _

“Don’t ‘mm’ me, damn gypsy...” She immediately regretted the slur, but kept talking. “If you’re insecure, don’t punch things. That makes you a dick.”

_ So, what? Just rise above it? _

“Mostly, yeh.”

_ Bullshit. _

“Sparrow-”

_ No!  _ He stood up.  _ You just stay and let anyone call you whatever you want, you’re laying down on the ground for them to step on you. So unless you want to be trampled, you gotta yell in their face and kick them in the nose. _

“Did you just ignore the whole ‘being a dick’ thing?!”

_ I  _ thought  _ you would get it, but no. You’re content to sit down and be called cattle or worse just because you’re scared to pick a fight with the world. _

Hammer got up as well. “There’s no fight to be gotten, you arse! A bunch of drunk idiots are not the world and are better just ignored! Hurting them won’t fix how you feel!

_ But it’ll get them to shut up! _

“And what of it? The next person comes along and you feel no better from punching the other guy. You still get insulted and it hurts just as bad. You can’t sock everyone who looks at you bad!”

_ And why not?! _

“Because it won’t change your opinion of yourself, Sparrow! You’ll just end up with bloody knuckles and two tons of self-doubt. It doesn’t fix anything!”

Sparrow scoffed.  _ Fixed everything for me! _

“How? How did it-”

_ They stopped!  _  He paused, then kept going.  _ They stopped calling me what I didn’t want to be called, I was happy, they left me alone. Fighting was the only way through it, so I did it, and nobody has bothered me since. _

Hammer frowned as the man sat back down, face sullen and arms crossed.  _ If you wanna survive, you have to fight back. If you don’t, you’re dead. _

They were quiet for a few minutes, the only sound the ticking of the clock.

“..Sparrow, who hurt you?”

_ Pssh. _

“No, I’m not being silly, who hurt you? Childhood bully? Oh wait, those two guys at Westcliff who called you a girl.” He stiffened, and she noticed. “Is that it? It was, wasn’t it.”

_ Could you, y’know, not? _

“Were you a girly child, Sparrow?”

To her surprise, he laughed dryly, rubbing his arm.  _ Oh, you would not believe… _

There was obviously more to this than she knew. But now wasn’t the time. They were both tired from the burst and earlier fight. Hammer sat next to Sparrow and made him put the cloth back on his black eye. “Well, you know what? You are:” She poked his arm. “The manliest,” she poked his neck. “Bravest,” And poked his cheek. “And most noble Hero I’ve ever met.”

He giggled, trying to swat her arm away.  _ I’m not two, _ he remarked, though he was smiling like a doofus.

“Yeah, I know.”  She took her hand back to herself. “Thanks for sticking up for me, even if, y’know, it was a bit more violent than needed.”

Sparrow smiled back, genuine but full of unsaid secrets.  _ You’re welcome, Hammer. _


End file.
